Summer’s about to start?

A sunny afternoon with a freshening light breeze greeted sailors on Saturday for another championship weekend series. With Mike as OD, and his threat to start on time, no-one dared call his bluff and all were out on the water waiting for the warning signal!

Even Scumper was on the line on time, and quickly showed a clean pair of heels to the rest of the handicap fleet winning the race by more than 5 mins on handicap. Although Banter pipped Hugh on the line, on handicap Jim Christie finished 2nd with Banter 3rd. In the 2nd race, a wind shift on the first beat caught out Scumper and Hugh took the lead, which he increased over the next couple of legs. However, Scumper avoided a calm patch on a later beat, and secured the lead, and another win with Hugh 2nd.

While Zefer made a welcome return to sailing in Tog’s Vareo after a two year layoff due to injury, Neil/Judith made a return (temporarily?) to the F15 fleet, taking two wins from Tim/Martin.

Dave/Sarah had a flying start in the GPs in the first race, but Mike/Alan worked their way through to win it, along with the second race where Alastair/Claire finished 2nd.

Sunday’s forecast was for 15mph from the SSW, and gusting. That’s exactly what it did!

Takers for the racing was limited to the Handicap and F15 fleets (perhaps the GPs had more sense?).

There were only single handers in the handicap fleet, and none managed to stay upright, although all but Joe in his RS300 finished the race. At one stage even Scumper opted to tack round instead of risk a gybe (though he was one of the few to fly his gennaker). He went on to win the race and the series. Peter Ballard was probably relieved to be using his storm sail, and it helped him keep near enough to Hugh to take 2nd, with Hugh 3rd.

In the F15s, Ian/Lezli-Ann were sailing well and holding Mike/Kayla at bay, until his tiller extension came adrift, scuppering his race. Mike went on to win, but was to have no competition for the increasing winds in the afternoon, so finished 2nd in the series behind Neil/Judith. Tim/Martin came 3rd.

Surprisingly there were takers for the final race (in the handicap fleet), though all had capsized before the starting sequence began. With winds being particularly gusty, the OD opted to abandon racing for the day. So the lunchtime overall positions would remain – Scumper 1st, Hugh 2nd, and Jim 3rd.